The Digital Pharma Team have been busy! Recently one of our team was invited to a global accounting practice to workshop the relevance of social media to their business.
The morning session went positively, constructively and productively.
The afternoon - considerably less so.
The difference? The morning was with middle management the afternoon with more senior types.
Their difference – Age.
The Generation Y’s and even the X’s had heard of social networking many had used it or actively engaged in its daily practice.
The ‘Baby Boomers,’ on the other hand, were clear: “Our business focus is auditing.” “Social networking has no place in our industry.”
Their ruddy cheeks reflected in their starched white shirt collars, as they made their defensive pronouncements; it was a Dickensian moment.
In fact access to the internet amongst employees of this ‘auditing giant’ was closely monitored and effectively banned for the ‘rank and file’.
They clearly had to make do with their quills?
Is this Pharma’s position?
“We make Pharmaceutical Treatments.” “What’s Social Networking Got to Do with Us?”
The answer, to both the Auditors and Pharma – Is People!
Social Media is not just about spotty teenagers with mobile phones gossiping about Britney Spears, Pop Idle or is it Idle Pop?
Have the large corporations of the world got it right? Focus, Focus, Focus!
Or is it a question of…..
Or is it a question of Age? Do generational differences apply?
A Question of Generation Y?
Peter Sheahan, an indomitable Gen Y’er and author of ‘Generation Y – Thriving (and Surviving) with Generation Y at Work,’ makes the following points with respect to Gen Y and technology, they are:
- Early adopters
- Fast Learners
- Resourceful
- Excellent advocates
- Often in need of restraint as they can become over zealous
- Hard to keep up with when they have the technological ‘bit’ between their teeth.
In summary Sheahan describes Gen Y’s relationship with technology as “Feel it in their gut;” Generation X’s as “Comfortable” and the Baby Boomer’s as “Ignorant of It.”
Me Lud I rest my case.
How about Gen Y in charge of the Pharma Ship?
Well perhaps not the ship – say a small dingy.
Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the dot.com boom.
Sheahan has some good advice in terms of what to do with Gen Y.
Put them to work in technology focussed pilot programs. In such a space they can be appropriately managed. Their technological prowess and enthusiasm can be harnessed. They can make mistakes with little impact and they can be easily managed without ones own generational pre-dispositions limiting the possibilities of a new type of Thoughtware.
On the on the other hand let’s consider the millions of Gen Y’s, unfortunately a disproportionate number of them female, who end up in dead-end jobs.
I remember talking to a very bored 19 year old lady who was ‘temping’ on a clients reception desk. She was bright, fun to talk with, more creative than most of the executives in the office, and with a great understanding of the psychology of all of the generations not just her own.
Is she unrepresentative? Should she be banned from the social media or could she be investigating ideas as to how the phenomena could be utilised for the sorts of issues she sees limiting a business.
My seven year old son’s comments, as he connects with the planet on his Apple notebook, give me at least one idea worth investigating a week.
Where is the business world? Where is Pharma? Why are they not harnessing these different views that are changing our attitudes to medicine, health, wellness, business, the environment, corporations, etc?
But our Target Audience?
Isn’t it the Baby Boomers who get sick? Don’t Age and Ageing equal a greater incidence of ill health and therefore treatments that require greater dependence upon Pharma Products?
No! The relationship between age and health is far more complex.
Does Age Matter?
If it does it shouldn’t!
Social media opens the door to forums where clients, professional peers, experts and the enquiring can discuss issues, solve problems, create new business and businesses.
How old are you? Or should it be how old is your attitude to social media technology?
(Tomowrrow’s Blog: Pharma Digital Marketing – Why Bother?)
Dont worry too much guys - as an ex partner of Gartner we did a load of research on generation x, y etc and technology - the inevitable progress of time will remove the problem - perhaps not as quickly as we'd all like - but it will still go. If I got really heavy the issues are far far bigger than just some middle aged, middle thinking men in the twilight of their careers - the way in which business/life/world works is coming to a crossroads and regardless of what anyone might say there is no certainty over what my childrens "Work" world will be...
...but i can't see it as boring
David
Posted by: David Clark | August 04, 2009 at 11:14 PM
David - Thanks for the comment.
As they say "All things will pass"
On can only hope that change will not just continue to be a generational phenomenon.
Business is meant to be more aware of and prepared for change than society in general.
In the case of Web 2.0 this may not prove to be the case. At Thinking Pharma we intend, in the coming months, to do what Pharma seems to be incapable of doing for itself.
We will create the 'interesting times' - time waits for no man.
We hope that you continue to enjoy our rants and muses.
Posted by: richard | August 05, 2009 at 06:46 PM